Baby carrier having means for facilitating the lifting of a child into and out of the same

ABSTRACT

A baby carrier adapted for carrying a child either face-to face or in forward-facing position, comprising chest straps ( 1 ), which are arranged to extend around both shoulder regions of the wearer, a waist belt ( 2 ) connected to the chest straps ( 1 ), and a carrier bag ( 3 ) mounted on the chest straps and comprising a carrier pouch ( 5 ) having leg openings, the carrier pouch being formed by on one hand a lower portion of a front piece ( 4 ) and on the other hand by least a chest piece ( 6 ), whereby at least the front piece ( 4 ) is at a lower portion connected to a waist belt ( 2 ), and the front piece ( 4 ) being at an upper edge region ( 7 ) detachably connected to respective chest strap ( 1 ) by a connecting device ( 8 ). A first end ( 1   a ) of respective chest strap ( 1 ) is connected to the waist belt ( 2 ) at the region of the connection of the front piece ( 4 ) to the waist belt and the other end ( 1   b ) to the front piece through a expansion means ( 12 ) arranged between the front piece and the chest piece ( 6 ).

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a baby carrier adapted for carrying a child either face-to-face or in forward-facing position, comprising chest straps, which are arranged to extend around both shoulder regions of the wearer, a waist belt connected to the chest straps, and a carrier bag mounted on the chest straps and comprising a carrier pouch having leg openings, the carrier pouch being formed by on one hand a lower portion of a front piece and on the other hand at least a chest piece, whereby at least the front piece is by a lower portion connected to a waist belt, and the front piece being at an upper edge region detachably connected to respective chest strap by a connecting device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the invention relates to a baby carrier of a kind which includes a harness of the general type comprising chest straps and a carrier poach mounted on the harness, the carrier poach being formed by a front piece provided with leg openings and adapted to be carried on the chest side of a wearer.

One problem when using a baby carrier of the above mentioned type is that a heavy load has to be born by the shoulders of the wearer of the baby carrier when a heavy child is carried during a long time. Therefore, many parents are forced to stop carrying its child or are only able to carry the child a short time in this way when the child grow older and is heavier.

One way of reducing this problem is to provide the baby carrier with a waist belt which will take a large part of the load so as to reduce the load on the shoulders.

A further problem which exists at known baby carriers of the above mentioned type provided with a waist belt is that it will be difficult in an easy way to lift the child into and out of the baby carrier, particularly the carrier pouch, since the carrier pouch on one hand has a tendency to “collapse” when the baby carrier is placed on the chest side of the wearer and on the other hand it can be very difficult to lift the child into a narrow carrier pouch, the circumference/size of which cannot be adjusted to be more wide. This is particularly difficult when the baby carrier is used for carrying a relatively heavy child from about 4 months to about 15 kg, since in the ordinary case both hands must be used for lifting the child into and out of, respectively, the baby carrier.

A further problem is that the child has a tendency to be worn relatively far from the body, i.e. the central gravity of the child will be situated at a distance from the wearer, particularly when the wearer leans forward, whereby it is easy to lose one's balance and to fall forwardly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is thus to provide a baby carrier by which the above mentioned drawbacks totally or partly are eliminated, so that a child may be worn during a longer time, and may in an easy way be lifted into and out of, respectively, the baby carrier while carried by the wearer and at the same time as the child is carried close to the body of the wearer.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a baby carrier adapted for carrying a child either face-to-face or in forward-facing position, comprising chest straps, which are arranged to extend around both shoulder regions of the wearer, a waist belt connected to the chest straps, and a carrier bag mounted on the chest straps and comprising a carrier pouch having leg openings, the carrier pouch being formed by on one hand a lower portion of a front piece and on the other hand at least a chest piece, whereby at least the front piece is by a lower portion connected to a waist belt, and the front piece being at an upper edge region detachably connected to respective chest strap by a connecting device, wherein a first end of respective chest strap is connected to the waist belt at the region of the connection of the front piece to the waist belt and a second end of respective chest strap to the front piece through a expansion means arranged between the front piece and the chest piece.

Further embodiments of the baby carrier according to the invention are set forth in the depending claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail in the form of a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 illustrates a baby carrier according to the invention as carried on the chest side of a schematically shown wearer,

FIG. 2 illustrates the baby carrier according to the invention as carried on the chest side of a schematically shown wearer with the upper portion of the front piece folded downwardly,

FIG. 3 is a view from above of the baby carrier according to the invention, whereby the chest straps and the waist belt are shown schematically, and

FIG. 4 is a view obliquely from the side of the baby carrier according to the invention, whereby in the same way as in FIG. 3 the chest straps and the waist belt are shown schematically.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-4 show a baby carrier according to the invention, comprising adjustable chest straps 1, which are arranged to extend around both shoulder regions of the wearer, an adjustable waist belt 2, and a carrier bag 3 mounted on the chest straps and the waist belt, the carrier bag comprises a front piece 4 and a carrier pouch 5 proved with leg openings, the carrier pouch being formed by a lower portion of the front piece 4 and a chest piece 6, the lower portion being attached to the waist belt 2 as seen in the lateral direction at the centre of the stomach of a wearer of the baby carrier. At an upper edge region 7 the front piece 4 is detachably connected to respective chest strap 1 by a detachable connecting device 8, whereby the upper edge region 7 can be folded downwardly, when the child is sitting in the baby carrier or when the child is to be placed in the baby carrier. A first end 1 a of respective chest strap 1 is attached to the waist belt 2, while a second end 1 b of respective chest strap 1 preferably is attached to an edge portion 13 of the front piece 4 situated in the vertical direction, as seen when the carrier is worn, somewhat below the centre of the height of the front piece. More particularly the second end 1 b is attached to the lateral side edge of the front piece through a resilient expansion means arranged between the lateral side edge of the front piece and respective side edge of the chest piece 6, more particularly at least a portion of respective first end 1 a of the chest straps 1 is arranged to be expanded together with the chest piece 6 from the lower portion of the front piece so as to achieve the expanded carrier pouch 5.

In a preferred embodiment the expansion means comprises a relatively stiff and resilient strap 12, so that thanks to its relative stiffness/resilience it will be expanded. More particularly the strap 12 is formed as a pocket, for instance, filled with suitable upholstery or made in some other suitable way, so that it has a suitable stiffness/resilience. The carrier pouch 5 will in this way be expanded which will make it easier to place a child into the baby carrier, particularly a somewhat heavier child which has to be lifted into the carrier pouch 5 with both hands.

As can be seen from FIG. 1 a coupling device 10,11, for instance in the form of a loop 10 provided with one or several openings, is adapted to be detachably connected to a button 11 provided at respective side of the baby carrier, preferably between a lower portion of the first end 1 a and the second end 1 b of the chest strap 1 or the strap 12. When connecting the loop 10 to the bottom 11 the size of a leg opening form between on one hand the side edge of a seat support 9 and on the other hand the first and second end 1 a, 1 b of the chest strap 1 or the chest piece 6 so as to prevent that a child unintentionally will slip out of the baby carrier.

Moreover, at least the lower portion of the front piece 4 is attached to the waist belt 2 and forms the seat support 9 so as to carry a child, not shown, in the baby carrier. The upper edge region 7 of the front piece is adapted to give a good head support to the child. At respective laterally separated side edge of the upper edge region 7 an adjusting device 30 is provided, which enables the effective distance to be set selectively of the upper edge region 7 so as to in best possible way support the head of the child when it sleeps, for instance.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 3 the carrier pouch 5 is formed by the seat support 9, the respective first ends 1 a of the chest straps 1, the strap 12 and the chest piece 6, whereby a lower edge of the seat support 9 and the first ends 1 a are attached to the upper edge of the waist belt 2, as seen when the baby carrier is carried by a wearer. In the embodiment shown the chest piece 6 is arranged between the respective first ends 1 a of the chest strap 1, and more particularly between side edges of respective first ends of the chest strap 1 directed towards each other. In an alternative embodiment, not shown, as is described below, the first ends 1 a of the chest strap 1 can be connected to the chest piece 6, preferably at its upper edge.

As can be seen from FIG. 4 the second end 1 b of respective chest strap 1 is preferably attached to respective strap 12 at about half its length between the lateral side edges 13 of the front piece 4 and respective side edge of the ends 1 a, preferably somewhat closer to the lateral side edge 13 of the front piece 4. In the description below the side edge of the chest piece 6 is equal to the external edge of respective side edge of the first end 1 a, as the chest piece 6 can be formed in one piece having the same area as the chest piece with connected first ends of the chest straps, the chest straps 1 being connected to the chest piece. In the embodiment shown the chest piece 6 is formed by the first end 1 a of respective chest strap 1 and a intermediate piece of material, which is attached to the chest piece, the piece of material may be made of fabric, or some other suitable material and in the form of a net.

When the upper edge region 7 of the front piece 4 is detached from respective chest strap 1 by releasing the connecting device 8 the child may be placed in the carrier pouch 5 of the baby carrier whereupon the chest straps 1 are tightened. This results in that the length of the strap 12 will be shortened and the size of the carrier pouch will be reduced. In this way the centre of gravity of the child will come closer to the wearer. If desirable the connecting devices 8 at the upper edge region 7 may then be connected to the chest straps. It is obvious that it is possible to first connect the connecting devices 8 of the upper edge region 7 to the chest straps and then tighten the same.

In an embodiment, not shown, at least a lower portion 14 of the front piece 4, which is close to the child, is provided with a material having low friction so as to make it easier to place or take a child in/out of the carrier pouch 5 of the baby carrier. 

1. A baby carrier adapted for carrying a child either face-to-face or in forward-facing position, comprising chest straps (1), which are arranged to extend around both shoulder regions of the wearer, a waist belt (2) connected to the chest straps (1), and a carrier bag (3) mounted on the chest straps and comprising a carrier pouch (5) having leg openings, the carrier pouch being formed by on one hand a lower portion of a front piece (4) and on the other hand by least a chest piece (6), whereby at least the front piece (4) is at a lower portion connected to a waist belt (2), and the front piece (4) being at an upper edge region (7) detachably connected to respective chest strap (1) by a connecting device (8), wherein a first end (Ia) of respective chest strap (1) is connected to the waist belt (2) at the region of the connection of the front piece (4) to the waist belt and the other end (Ib) to the front piece through a expansion means (12) arranged between the front piece and the chest piece (6).
 2. The baby carrier according to claim 1, wherein the expansion means (12) is arranged between respective lateral side edge (13) of the front piece (4) of respective side edge of the chest piece (6).
 3. The baby carrier according to claim 1, wherein the expansion means is a stiff strap (12).
 4. The baby carrier according to claim 1, wherein the second end of respective chest straps (1) is connected to respective strap (12) at about half the length between the lateral side edge (13) of the front piece (4) is the side edge of the chest piece (6).
 5. The baby carrier according to claim 1, wherein at least the lower portion of the front piece (4), which is directed towards the child, is provided with a material having low friction.
 6. The baby carrier according to claim 2, wherein the expansion means is a stiff strap (12).
 7. The baby carrier according to claim 2, wherein the second end of respective chest straps (1) is connected to respective strap (12) at about half the length between the lateral side edge (13) of the front piece (4) is the side edge of the chest piece (6).
 8. The baby carrier according to claim 3, wherein the second end of respective chest straps (1) is connected to respective strap (12) at about half the length between the lateral side edge (13) of the front piece (4) is the side edge of the chest piece (6).
 9. The baby carrier according to claim 2, wherein at least the lower portion of the front piece (4), which is directed towards the child, is provided with a material having low friction.
 10. The baby carrier according to claim 3, wherein at least the lower portion of the front piece (4), which is directed towards the child, is provided with a material having low friction.
 11. The baby carrier according to claim 4, wherein at least the lower portion of the front piece (4), which is directed towards the child, is provided with a material having low friction. 